Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Well mum had a lovely day at work and went out for a walk on the way home. She caught two of the neighbors playing on the steps by our house.

She got to meet a sweet friend today. Blogging is fun, and we are grateful for all of our new friends we have made.

As soon as she got in the door I was begging for my feast. Mum had the leftover salad that she had made last night, so dinner was easy for her. She went to plug the laptop on and it was dead. We think it is the plug, so mum has ordered another one and will have to continue to post on the phone.

Oh man there are always extra bills to sort. Still a plug is cheaper than a new laptop so fingers crossed that will fix the problem.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Hahaha check out how big the weeds are!! Bigger than the plants!! The gardener hasn't been around in a while, but I have a little warm spot to sit in in the garden.

Golly it was a good day today. Mum did not have to work, after working yesterday, so she was pleased that her day off was warm and sunny. She got herself up early bird and had a leisurely breakfast and shower. She got piles of washing out onto the line to get some fresh air and breezes on it. That is when I came out into the garden to get my exercise and rest.

Mum then took herself off for a lovely seaside walk and a bit of shopping. She found a nice $29 jacket and a new mug for work. She doesn't drink hot drinks, but likes to use her own big cup for cold water so that she drinks enough. Her last one got stolen, so she hopes that this one lasts longer. She stopped off at the supermarket for some fruit and veg, and made herself a big beef Thai salad for her dinner, and has some left over for tomorrow night too. I got my feast.

After dinner the dishes were done, and mum brought all the washing in. She got to speak to a bestie for a while and then decided to water the garden. All was going well until she put the hose down, and went to turn it off. It spun round and wet mums new sandals and soaked her through the back of her pants and top. Hahaha poor old wet mum. So now she is trying to dry herself off. Me - well I was inside as I went back to bed at 6pm after I had my dinner.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

So mum got up at early bird time and headed off to work today. She had been rostered the weekend off, but helped out a colleague. It also helped out mum as she is trying to get the funds in order, and she earns more to work on a Saturday and Sunday. The bonus too is that she gets Monday off to relax with me.

Last night was super windy in the city and when mum got home and opened the door she noticed that her television aerial had broken off its mooring and was all droopy. Now mum is a shorty and in thinking of a solution she grabbed the broom and was able to push the aerial back up and move it onto the roof, so that at least gravity would not break the cables. Best of all when she switched the tv on it worked ok. Good job mum.

So then she did a stir fry of about 6 vegetables and prawns. None for me, I just fancy the feast.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

I have a little secret to share with you. My mumster said that I had to fess up and let our friends know about my little problem.

You see I often come in from the bathroom a little bit dirty, and can leave a little dirty spot when I sit down. It drives mum crazy, and she will chase me round to clean me up, which I am not a fan of, and she has to come and clean up where I have been sleeping or sitting. I am only allowed on the sheets if I am clean and mum is supervising.

So mum has put the fleecy blankie on the spare room bed. I avoided it the first night, but mum has caught me sleeping on it the past day, which is good. It is far easier for mum to wash if she needs to, and she is pleased that I am happy.

Mum came in last night and lay down next to me for a half hour and rubbed my head while she read her book, this made me purr and be happy. Mum said I didn't howl at all last night, so she is going to try it again tonight. Maybe that was just what I needed, a little bit of snuggling before I go to sleep.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Dear Gdad,
Today was the first of your birthdays when you weren't here to share it with you. I hope you hear me wish you a happy birthday anyway, wherever you are, I am still sending you all my love. This time last year we only had another 12 weeks to spend with you before you had to go and that time flew by. We wish we had more, but after a quick diagnosis things progressed quickly and I think though that would have been what you would have wanted. I hope you know I was there holding your hand as you left, that you were not alone.

Thank you for giving me a love of books. I have got your habit of getting big pile and working through them, although not at the speed that you read at, and I can't watch tv and read at the same time, a magical skill you seemed to master. With summer approaching I keep looking at my pale skin and freckles and are reminded that you knew as soon as I was born that I was yours, as our skin was exactly the same in the need for lots of sunblock. Then I grew up and realized how similar we were, the same shy reserved personalities, although you had your loud decades when you were the life and soul of most parties, but lately you returned to being quiet again, and I felt like I could often read your mind by the look on your face.

You taught us about love. For seeing our mum out the window of a bus and saying that was the girl you were going to marry, and you did even if you had to get a court order as none of the families approved. You were with her til her death 44 years later, taking care of her even when times were hard. We were a bit surprised when you remarried a couple of years later, and not because you found someone, cos good on you if you can find love in your late sixties, but more because you changed a bit to fit into her life doing things that were a bit un-dad like. When that marriage ended, you moved on and settled into life pottering round by yourself and returning to your true self. Then in your last year you found a new girlfriend who helped you have a happy year. That gives us hope, that you can find love at 73, that age is no limit even if you had to put up with a pottery pig in the garden, you did it with grace.

I miss the weekly phone calls on Sunday night, solving the worlds problems and discussing what we had for dinner. They always ended my week well, and I felt refreshed starting out for another week hearing your wise words, you always made me feel centered and calm, and now I have no one to do that for me, so part of me feels empty. We loved when you came to visit us too, Miss Poppy loved sleeping on your pajamas and wasn't scared of you.

I keep seeing a few butterflies - are you sending them? On the day we took you in the ambulance a butterfly danced around the door and followed it out onto the road, and we kept seeing butterflies for weeks afterwards. I'd love to think you are a butterfly, enjoying the sun and flowers.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Lucky old mumster. She gets to go and see superstar Adele when she tours here in March next year. Her wonderful nephew managed to book them online, so she and her besties are going for a weekend trip. It is mums birthday + Christmas present to herself. Not only does Mum get to go and see her in Auckland, but two weeks before, she is going to Adelaide to visit with her sister in law and they are going to go and see her there as well.

There are not many artists mum really wants to see, but she had watched Adeles New York concert just as the weekend, and has watched it about 10 times in total. She thought that if she ever had the chance she would love to be able to see her. Just last week it was announced that she would come to little old New Zealand, and that tickets went on sale this week. They went on sale today, and sold out in 23 minutes - 3 concerts. Just amazing. Mums friends are very excited too, so that makes mum happy as well.

She is mumbling something about booking me into the cat motel - say what??!!!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

After writing last nights post about my love affair with the spare room and the quilt, mum went into the spare room to give me a pat. That is where she spied a trail of half digested cat biscuits. So into the washing machine it went, and now it is drying on the line. I am very distressed, having a little sulk. It is not going to smell the same now it has been whizzed around. The love affair might be over. Watch this space.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Mum says I am a little obsessed about living in the spare room. Now that some visitors have left their smell on the pillows and bed, I barely come out of the room. Mum sees me in the morning for about 10 minutes, and I pop out a couple of times in the evening, but only for a few minutes. I then run back in and curl up in the bed.

Mum went to work and then popped into the supermarket. She was going to do a stir fry but decided that she felt like chicken, broccoli and pasta which was quicker and filled her up.

Now she is thinking she might tuck herself into bed before 10:30pm and read her book. I'll be snoring next door.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

I have got my bed back, the visitors have gone and the house is quiet again. Mum took the girls down to the bakery this morning, so they could all get a breakfast cronut before they parted ways around 9.30am. It was a beautiful day with some real warmth in the air. Mum went and had a wander and did a few chores, looking for Christmas gifts but finding nothing. So she went to a cafe for a quiet brunch and read her book and then went to the cinema to see Arrival which she enjoyed.

Mum then carried on and walked home up the hill. There was enough of the afternoon sun to get the towels out on the line and dry and toasty. Mum made herself some easy leftovers for her dinner and made me a feast and I put myself to bed on the spare bed again by 5pm. I have hours of sleep catching up to do.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Hi Friends we had a lovely day here in the capital city. The sun was shining and it was a balmy 19 deg. Mum got the washing on and off the line, all dry and warm. Doors and windows were opened to freshen up the house. The visitors went out all day, and mum took herself out to see a friend for lunch.

Everyone came home for a wee nap and then mum took the visitors out for a tasty Thai dinner and icecream in the city. When they got home I did come in to see them. I ws brave and went into their room and slept on a puffer jacket, until I got disturbed. They are here one more night and then things will be back to normal.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Geonet listed this today at 2.30pm . Since the 7.8 earthquake on Monday morning, we have had 2812 earthquakes. Mum feels a bit like she has just got off a boat, and feels a bit like she has wobbly sea legs. Life is returning to normal. The working week is over and mum and I have relaxing to do. We have visitors coming too - boy I am not looking forward to that, mum says they need my bed to sleep in.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Today has been a bit calmer. Some clouds and rain have rolled in again, and we are expecting it to be a bit wilder later in the day. The earthquakes have lessened a bit both in magnitude and frequency. Mum doesn't find it hard to sleep - me neither!!

Our day was somewhat disrupted as there are a team in the upstairs flat installing new carpet. We don't get any yet as there is some building work to be done on our flat. They only have two small rooms to be done up there so we don't expect it to take too long. Those boys are banging away upstairs, so mum is not exactly getting a restful time before she heads to work again.

This lovely picture is from Stuff of the Australian ship the HMAS Darwin on the way to the Kaikoura coast. Our navy was having celebrations this weekend in Auckland and British, Canandian, Australian, Singapore and American forces have redirected to help with relief efforts of taking tourists away from the area, and helping to bring in supplies for the locals and to help with getting the area sorted out. Awesome and we thank you all.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

We thought we would share some of the photos of what damage the earthquake on Sunday night did. It has caused around about 1,000 slips in the Kaikoura region where the quake hit. These coast roads that have been blocked off (yes that is a road round the edge in the photo below), are the main road on the South Island.

Luckily the main quake hit at midnight on Sunday night. We hope that no one is under all that rubble. Because most people were tucked up in their beds, we were lucky to hear of only 2 deaths, and very little injuries. Today the government are assisting to get tourists out of the area using Air force helicopters today, and the navy arrive tomorrow to take people away by boat. The local police, council and support staff will go door to door and visit every home to check on everybody.

Because roads and rail (as below) in and out of the town are cut, they are limited in supplies with water cut off. Everyone though will work hard to look after the locals and help them cope. The local marae cooked up 400kg of crayfish this morning to give people who have been evacuated breakfast.

Kaikoura is a small seaside settlement of about 3,700 people and we wonder about all the people on rural farms. They would have a lot of supplies and are used to being independent.

We saw reports tonight that the famous cows have been rescued. We are sure these ones have been on the news around the world. News helicopters spotted these cows who were stranded on a little island of green in the middle of slips as they flew over the region on Monday.

Our city is the biggest city a few hundred kms away, but we have had quite a few earthquakes centered here as well. They are saying now it is about 800 since Sunday night. It is these aftershocks that are probably a bit more unnerving than the main big shake. Mum finds it hard to tell if it is a quake or not, as they come every minute or so, and she feels like she is constantly shaking. She has a glass of water beside her and finds it helpful. If there is a big shake, the water moves side to side in the glass.

Last night we knew that we were due a storm as well. So we had 140km winds and torrential rain, with a months worth of rain in the past 24 hours, causing floods and our city to become closed off. Luckily it stopped raining at lunchtime. Where we live is quite elevated so we don't get flooded in and although it kept mum at home, it wasn't too painful although mum did not fancy having to leave the house if there were any big shakes. Like many locals then mum went out for a short walk this afternoon and got some groceries and did a couple of chores. All the water was gone at the supermarket but most other things were all stocked up.

She has moved her emergency kit close to the front door. There is my cat carrier with some foods and treats for me inside, with a blankie and a bottle of water. Mum has packed a bag for herself with some clothes and personal bits and pieces and leaves it there with her coat and boots. She is still sleeping in some clothes, just leggings and top and cardigan in case she has to get up quickly. I have even snuggled with her a couple of times, which mum likes. xxx

Monday, November 14, 2016

8.10pm - Thank you for all the kind well wishes for our safety. We are fine just a bit shaken. It is almost 20 hours since last nights big quake. There have been about 400+ aftershocks here in our city since, so many that mum doesn't move for any of them, although there was a large 5.8 tonight which rattled her a bit. It has been a good day to stay home and stay close to the news on the television as much of the city was closed off. Especially now as wet and windy weather has packed in making it a miserable night. Mum has a bag packed with clothes and supplies but does not fancy having to leave the house unless it is a really big shake.

Mum helped one of her friends out who did not have electricity. Mum was able to ring her supplier to log the fault so they can send an engineer out as they were unaware that the street was out. Hopefully they can get it back on for her and her neighbours, as she thinks the whole street is out.

So it will be a restless night again for us. Mum will sleep with her clothes on again, and boots beside her bed, ready to leave if she needs to.

These are pictures of the areas close to the quake - NOT where we live. It was centered more over Kaikoura on the coast and we have heard that there were 2 deaths. In our town there has been a bit of damage to buildings and we have been told not to go into the city center. Mum did have some plans to get some stuff done today, but she is happy to stay at home and read her book and take it easy.

All of her friends are ok. One suffered some breakages at home and lost power. They were also evacuated to higher ground because of where they live but they are fine. We still are Tsunami warnings in place so no picnics at the beach.

So mum better get dressed and go to the supermarket before the rain arrives.

Oh man our country is rocking around tonight. We are fine, just a bit jittery. This is the Biggest shake mum has ever felt, and luckily there was a bit of a rumble first. I was sitting next to her and she got us to the door to shelter under the doorway. It almost moved her off her feet. Just a few non breakable things fell off shelves, but mum is good and doesn't have much that is unsecured.

We have had shakes following every few minutes and mum does not think she will get much sleep tonight.

The epicentre was near Christchurch where there were big quakes a few years ago, so we hope everyone is ok there.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Mum had a busy day at work today but the day went fast. No sooner had she started and it was lunchtime and then she was back home. Yesterday was the rainiest day of the year, so finally the clouds cleared this afternoon, so she rushed home and washed the towels to put them outside to dry in the fresh air. When she took them in at about 7:30pm the skies here were lovely with wispy clouds and after weeks of grey skies, with promises of rain again tomorrow she wanted to share some blue sky photos with you.

So now she gets to enjoy two days off with me, so mum is trying to get the majority of chores done tonight so that she can enjoy herself. So dishes are soaking, the vacuum cleaner is out. Mum also uses Sunday night to giver her face a good scrub and soak too, so that feels fresh for the week. After being told off a couple of months ago for overdoing the scrubs and rubs on her face and making it a bit too sensitive, she finds that once a week is ok. Then the relaxing will begin (for her - I have already started and have headed to bed at 6pm).

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Our Caturday today was cool - but not in the hipster sense, just another dismal day with non stop rain for the past 24hours, feeling more mid autumn than mid spring. However, the mumster had to go to work again today so she felt that she wasn't missing much. We liked this picture we found of a cool 1950s cat in London by photographer Thurston Hopkins.

Mum got home and had to have a little nap, getting up at 5am is a bit too early even for her and after a busy week of call she has learnt to listen to her body, and if it tells her to go and lie down for a while she often does. Nap may not be quite the right term however, as she usually needs an hour or twos sleep to feel refreshed - I curled up with her for a little while until she got restless, then it was back to my bedroom. She did get up for the evening and made a quick chicken/broccoli/pasta dinner which is her go to when she wants a quick dinner with a pile of vegetables.

The candles were then lit and mum is watching a movie - Prisoners, although a bit grim material she had recordered it and rather than going out is enjoying a free watch. One of her Saturday rituals is to read the weekend posts from Design Mom and A Cup Of Jo, both who post with a collection of interesting articles, reads, reviews that always make for good reading.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Finally Friday again. It has been a bit of an odd one in the house of Q. Mum was on call last night, and she went into work until 1.30am. She got herself off to work at 2:30am and got another howl from me. She went and got me and bought me onto her bed where after a bit of annoyed noises I did settle down under her covers and go to sleep. She was surprised when the phone went off again this morning, and went back to work, finishing just after 7.30am. The bonus of the two call ins was that she did not have to return to work at all today, and although her intention was to stay up and be productive after breakfast and reading her book, she thought she would get a little sleep, and dozed a few hours of the day away.

So tonight has been quiet. The rain has returned and mum has to work in the morning again, so we just pottered round. Mum did some washing and dished me up my dinner. She is trying to avoid the news, it is all a bit depressing and winding mum up so she did a few Sudoku and then watched a couple of episodes of early Seinfeld. In some ways it is so dated and then so hard to believe it was 25 years old.

So we hope you are all getting a chance to relax and look forward to your weekend ahead.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Last night mum worked late, then she had some stuff to sort out when she got home as well as a few jobs and eating her dinner. So she made it to bed before midnight and fell fast asleep. Until 1:30am when I woke her up by howling in the spare bedroom. She was right in the middle of a dream about hang gliding - something that she has no intention of ever doing, but she was enjoying being a dream adventure tourist.

She called out to me and told me to go to sleep, but I kept calling for her, until finally she got up and came and talked to me. A quick pat and a talk and I let her go back to bed. She worries that I am beginning to train her into a bad habit of having to get up in the middle of the night. In 10 years I have never done this before and now it has been 3 nights in the past week.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

All eyes appear to be on America in the next 24+ hours. Every news channel is just about imploding from excitement, and we cannot imagine what it must be like to be in the US - will you all just be pleased when it is over?

Mum and I decided it was a take it easy kind of day today. The sun peaked out, clouded over and then peaked out again, so the sheets and towels were washed and dried out in the ebbing sun. Mum walked to the library to restock and then went to the supermarket. A home made dinner was made and now the house smells slightly of cabbage, so candles have been lit. Mum allowed herself 2 squares of chocolate and I got about 10 bits of party mix. So the girls are happy. How about you - any treats today?

Monday, November 7, 2016

Mum feels like her whole life is surrounded by grey today. The skies got cloudier last night and there was a return of cold and wet weather, but that does not matter when it is a day off on Monday. Mum says there is some satisfaction to hearing the neighborhood get up and head to work while she can stay in her bed. Me - well I was awake at a feisty 8am and made sure my mum was waking up too.

She got herself up, showered and dressed and made some breakfast to eat on the couch. That was interrupted by a 21 gun salute just at the Governor Generals place across the road. Apparently the King and Queen of the Netherlands had popped in for a quick brunch and got a whole royal welcome.

Then mum took herself off into the city. She went to the cinema to see The Light Between Oceans. She enjoyed it a lot, mainly because she loved the book and the whole thing was a middle aged lady dream movie mum thought, and it bought tears to her eyes at the end. As it was raining heavily when she finished, she headed home which made me want my dinner as she entered the house. So I had my feast at 3:30pm. Sadly, mum ate her dinner at 4pm too. How sad are we?

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Well mum was pleased that I was quiet last night and stayed asleep.There were some idiots letting off fireworks at 5:30am. She hopes Karma pays those idiots back, and one day they will treasure their sleeps ins, but not be able to. She got herself up at 5:40am to head out to work for the day. Work was quickly over by 3pm and although she had the best of intentions to go for a walk in the fresh air, it was windy and spitting as she left work, so it was a trip to the supermarket and then home to get the dishes done, cook tea and sit on the couch and catch up on Game of Thrones episodes. She is enjoying it although lots of this seasons scenes seemed to be filmed in the dark, and their seem to be way too many characters for this middle aged lady to follow.

Now mum has two days off work and doesn't have to venture back until Weds at 2:30pm which is nice. She doesn't care if it is windy and rainy, she will enjoy her relaxing, and I think I will join her.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Where can Miss Poppy Be? Who is under the quilt? We had visitors during the week, and so I have decided that the spare bed is the place to be at the moment. Mum knows that it is a sure sign that the season is turning and spring has sprung as I have my annual migration from her bed to the spare bed as I get too warm and toasty and she gets restless tossing and turning.

Mum had to work early this morning so had headed to bed at 11pm last night and read her book for a short while. In the middle of the night she heard me calling out, over and over. So she had to get up and glanced at the clock. It was 3:15am. I didn't want anything in particular, but mum sat beside me and patted me for 10 minutes til I settled down and went back to sleep. She was wondering if I had a bad dream. She hopes it is not a sign of senior senility. Hopefully not.

So after a day at work, mum and I snuggled in for the evening. There was an episode of Game of Thrones to watch and an easy dinner of leftovers for the mumster and a feast for me. It was Guy Fawkes night here, and we get a bit of a few of the cities display over the harbour. Although large and loud it only lasts for 10 minutes. There are a few houses letting off personal displays, but a lot less noise than other years.

So hope you have had a fun Caturday. Do you ever wake your humans up in the middle of the night?

Friday, November 4, 2016

The mumster was on call overnight and got a call in in the early hours. She got home at 06:30am which gave her the rest of the day off work, which was nice for her. It rained in the morning but the sun came out at lunchtime, so mum got the washing on and in the fresh air. She did have to go into work to take the call phone in, so got a wee walk in the fresh air.

Tonight is all about the relaxing. Mum has to work over the weekend with an early 7am start so she will have to head to bed at an early hour. I have already been in bed for hours so I am set. I did go outside for a little while with mum when she hung the washing out, but mum has observed me get a solid 23 hours of sleeping done today. Job well done.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Somehow mum knocked her phone last night while fiddling with it, and managed to knock off her alarm clock. So instead of rising at 6:40am she was luckily awoken by the bird song and sunlight at 7:15am. So there was a mad scramble for a quick shower and get dressed and ran off to work, dropping the rubbish bags down for collection, leaving her lunch behind.

Lucky for me I gets to sleep in every day and have no rush to be anywhere!!! So tonight us girls are chilling. Mum has to be on call in a couple of hours, so she will have a quiet night doing exciting things like paying the bills and reading her book. Woo hoo for middle aged lady fun!!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Mum was watching out the window this morning, when she saw me jump from the ground and climb up the fence. She thinks it is amazing, as in reality it is about 20 times my height. Mum couldn't even jump up half her height without help. Mum is a bit nervous of me being up here as the drop is a bit bigger on the other side, but I am a good tightrope fence walker.

We had visitors last night, so I was a little bit annoyed although once I go outside for an hour I usually then head back inside to keep warm even if I keep my distance from them. I have also figured out that if I run round the hallway I can usually go and hide on the bed and be left alone. I even stayed on mums bed when our niece came in there to lie down, and she said I stayed on the bed for a few hours with her. I then ran out and jumped onto the couch where mum was sleeping and slept on her for the rest of the night.

So the visitors only stayed the night and left today, so things are back to normal and I am back on the bed snoozing and waiting for mum to come and join me.